The End of All Things
by noahcomemidnight
Summary: (After Children of the Earth) The rift of Cardiff acts up and Ianto Jones finds himself alive, before mourning over the crumbled Torchwood Tower. Of course, he begins t questions his past life choices, before realising that a fresh start is his best bet. A fresh start, however, has its downfalls... But will Ianto take his chances, or try and wait for his Jack Harkness to return?


**_Dearest_** ** _Jack,_**

 ** _It is about time I moved on. Torchwood is nothing but a crater, and you are nowhere to be found. However, all of that is of no matter, for this is my letter of resignation. While I did love what we did as a team and how we protected the civilian population of Cardiff far too many times, I wish to return to a normal life. I died, that much is true, but there's something odd about that rift, and for some reason I have slipped out of death's grasp. This close call got me thinking, though, about how I wanted a quiet life in the city, without having to chase down alien artefacts or aliens themselves. For once, I want to wake up and not have a worry on my mind. With this, I must admit that I intend to leave you behind. Yes, I thank you for every moment leading me up to now, but with this bitter end between us, it is for the best that I leave past relations in the past. Thank you for the memories, sir, even if they weren't always so great._**

 ** _Yours Truly,_**

 ** _Ianto_**

Ianto closed his eyes and let out a heavy, ragged sigh, clutching the letter that he had written tightly. He opened his eyes, in hopes of finding the Torchwood Tower before him, but instead finding the crater where it once was. It was also the crater where his heart had once been. How many memories were now a gaping hole filled with twisted metal and rubble. Ianto tried to keep away the memories, but they attacked viciously, more vivid than they had once been.

 _"_ _There are lots of things you can do with a stop watch."_

 _"_ _I've got a secret weapon: chocolate. Preferably dark."_

 _"_ _I was brought up never to speak ill of the dead, even if they still do most of the talking themselves."_

 _"_ _Risen Mitten, Life Knife, and good old Stun Gun."_

 _"_ _Is now a good time to tell you I lost the car?"_

 _"_ _We do not sniff the Sub-Etheric Resignator!"_

 _"_ _I have searched for the phrase, 'I shall walk the earth and my hunger shall know no bounds', but I keep getting redirected to Weight Watchers."_

 _"_ _Of course, bananas are far more interesting."_

 _"_ _That's what I love about Torchwood. By day, chasing the scum of the universe; come midnight, you're the wedding fairy."_

 _"_ _I really like that coat, Jack."_

Ianto bit his lip and turned away from the remains of the Torchwood Tower. Why had he even bothered writing a letter to Jack, who was probably galaxies away, hooking up with other species and people that weren't him? Ianto crumpled the letter in his closed fists, and felt combating waves of sorrow and frustration crash over him. Why was he leaving? He knew he would regret it, even if no one was left to allow him to leave. It wasn't right.

Ianto shoved the crumpled note into his pocket and made his way to his empty flat, sitting down on his couch to a small cup of coffee. The warmth and smell of the steaming drink comforted him, and he took a sip, when a song from many years past made its way into his mind. He hadn't thought of the song since before Gwen was even a member of the team, when he and Jack had slowly danced around Jack's office after everyone had left for the evening.

 _Whether near or far, I am always yours._

 _Any change in time, we are young again._

 _Weigh us down, we're in love._

 _Weigh us down, we're in love._

 _In these coming years, many things will change._

 _But the way I feel will remain the same._

 _Weigh us down, we're in love._

 _Weigh us down, we're in love._

Ianto sighed and let go of the warm coffee mug. No one could replace Jack; they had shared too many memories and he had been a part of too much of Ianto's life. Jack wasn't here, though, and Ianto couldn't just sit and wait for the epitome of chaos to return. They had lives to live, and so, Ianto made his decision. He reached into his coat pocket and produced a small white tablet; placing it in his coffee and watching it disappear to the bottom of the mug. Ianto lifted his mug and offered a small smile full of melancholy to himself, making a silent toast.

 _To us, Jack, and to moving on. I always said I wouldn't forget you, but there's always an exception._

Ianto drank his coffee slowly, feeling his brain go fuzzy as the sedative began to kick in. He set his mug on a nearby table, before he lay down on the couch, drifting off.

When Ianto woke in a confused daze, wondering how he had gotten to his flat, because just earlier that day, the Canary Wharf Torchwood was attacked.

Right?

* * *

 ** _Author's Note: Hello everyone. This may be my last Janto fanfic for an extended period of time, for I got into Torchwood (mainly the Janto ship) at a low point in my life, and it's a constant reminder of the dark times. I hope this won't always be the case, but only time can tell. This fic was inspired by The End of All Things by Panic! At the Disco, as well as Thnks Fr th Mmrs by Fall Out Boy._**

 ** _I dedicate this to the person who used to be my Jack. We've gone our separate ways after many years, too many memories shared, and a bitter end. No one can replace the hole that's left in me, but in the words of Passenger, "We've got holes, but we carry on"._**

 ** _So here's to friendships long dead, and new friendships made, and even to those friendships that I have cherished for far too long. Specifically to Troy, for being my source of company those early, dewy mornings when we would sit side by side in the hammock, watching the sun rise. Here's to us, who have been shipped practically since we met, and who have been on countless dates to the movies and gone to archery shoots together. Here's to our secrets shared only with the other, countless inside jokes, pissing our friends off with our endless puns, and our island where it rains feathers and sprinkles sprinkles. Here's to four years of being best friends, and for the love and support he gives me and has given me with everything. For the Link to my Rhett and the Pete Wentz to my Mikey Way, I thank him for making my days brighter, no matter how dark they get._**

 ** _In short: I love you. (Me encanta su cara y personalidad)_**

 ** _-Crash Cola (noahcomemidnight)_**


End file.
